Recently, a notable claim emerged on social media suggesting that the popular Fox sitcom The Simpsons accurately predicted the death of Pope Francis. This rumor began circulating after X user @JasperZiggle posted about a purported “little-known”episode that allegedly outlined the circumstances surrounding the pope’s passing.
The tweet garnered significant attention, amassing over 260,000 views and numerous likes. It featured a video montage presenting supposed clips from the show as evidence of the prediction. However, it has been confirmed that this episode is fake, and The Simpsons did not, in fact, predict the death of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, following a stroke that led to a coma and subsequent cardiac arrest.
Pope Francis’ Death: What Really Happened?
Contrary to the assertions made in the viral video, the pope’s death occurred at approximately 7:35 AM local time. The video incorrectly claimed he died at 11:11 AM.
In the original X post, it was asserted that a “little-known episode of The Simpsons“featured an anchor announcing the “passing of the supreme pontiff”due to “severe bronchitis.”Indeed, in the lead-up to his death, Pope Francis faced significant health challenges, including severe bronchitis, and had been hospitalized for over a month.
This viral video depicted various scenes, including a coffin positioned in Saint Peter’s Basilica, with cardinals observing silently, and flags in the Vatican flying at half-mast. It also featured a large screen reportedly displaying the fictional death time—11:11—which lacked any further elaboration. Additionally, the video depicted crowds gathered at St. Peter’s Square, holding candles and engaging in prayer.
The narration in the video suggested:
“A new era is about to begin. Now in real life, concerns about Pope Francis’ health are growing. At 87 years old, he has faced multiple hospitalizations, and experts warn that his condition is fragile. Could ‘The Simpsons’ have predicted another shocking event?”
However, the tweet fails to provide key details about the episode, such as its title or air date. The visuals presented in the video are also suspect, appearing to be AI-generated content with characters lacking pupils and text riddled with misspellings and illegibility.
A reverse image search revealed that this misleading video had been circulating since early 2025, seemingly originating from the satirical TikTok account @yellow..world, known for producing artificially created media.
Interestingly, an actual Simpsons episode from season 31, which aired on September 29, 2019, referenced the death of a pope. The episode included a news anchor stating, “In other news, the pope has died,” with the chyron reading “POPE DEAD.” However, it neither specified which pope nor offered details regarding the cause of death.
The Simpsons predicted the Apple Vision Pro. byu/adityapixel inBeAmazed
Beyond the case of Pope Francis, several other events have been falsely reported as predictions made by The Simpsons that gained traction online. For instance, in March 2024, an AI-generated image purporting to show the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore went viral, along with another claim that the series foretold the launch of the Apple Vision Pro—both of which were subsequently debunked.
The funeral rites for Pope Francis, where his coffin will be sealed, are scheduled for Friday, April 25, 2025.